I can’t believe I’m writing this sentence, because it means, for all intents and purposes, that this book is finished! Done! Finito! I cannot count the number of times I stared at my messy Word document, doubting that I’d ever be able to turn it into a finished novel. And yet, here I am, at the series’ end.
Telling a story as expansive as this one requires a lot of support. (A LOT.) I had plenty of expert cheerleaders and cheerleader experts. Jacob Graudin helped me plot Germania’s downfall over pints of beer. Kate Armstrong read early chapters and gave me the encouragement I needed. Megan Shepherd and Anne Blankman provided excellent rough-draft feedback. Since I’m nowhere near as gifted with languages as Yael, Anna-Anya Spann aided me with Russian and Nora Leitz with German. Nagao and Wombat spent hours helping me brainstorm the breakdown and subsequent repairs of the GAZ-AA truck. Rick Zender of the College of Charleston Communications Museum faithfully answered e-mails. Matt Hunter fielded my medical questions. The amazing people behind the C&Rsenal YouTube channel let me pick their brains about firearms, battle tactics, and alternate war scenarios. I’m especially indebted to Lisa Yoskowitz and Judah Beilin for their cultural insights.
Publishing is a tough business, and I’m fortunate to have a grade-A team in my corner. Tracey Adams—agent extraordinaire—has put such faith in me and the stories I wish to tell. She also found me an amazing publishing home at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. My trust in Alvina Ling’s ability to edit my stories has become unshakable. (You really are a superhero!) Nikki Garcia, Hallie Patterson, Kristin Dulaney, Andrew Smith, Megan Tingley, Victoria Stapleton, Danielle Yao, Emilie Polster, the NOVL team—thank you for all that you do to get my books into the hands of readers. Orion continues to do a stellar job publishing my books across the pond. Felicity Johnston took up the editing torch midseries and did so fabulously. Nina Douglas—thank you a thousand times for the blogger tea, Platform 9 ¾, and for just being brilliant.
This series has had so many avid supporters. Laini Taylor, Jackson Pearce, Amie Kaufman, Victoria Schwab, Megan Shepherd, Victoria Aveyard, Marie Lu—thank you for shouting from the rooftops about Yael’s journey. I’ve continued to be astounded by the power of readers’ love. It’s one of the best things an author can ask for, really.
David, thank you for telling me over and over that I could write this book and for tearing up when you read Chapter 49 at Red Lobster. Dad, I know you didn’t intend to lend me your World War II books for two and a half years, but thanks for letting me get away with it. Mom, thank you for being my first and biggest fan. Adam, you’re in the acknowledgments now. (But for real, thanks for reading Wolf by Wolf instead of watching sportsketball. It means a lot.) If I listed all the family and friends who’ve helped me stay sane while writing Blood for Blood, this book would be much, much thicker. But all things must come to an end, and so I’ll close out these acknowledgments the way I do all others. Thank you, God, for your gifts and grace. Soli Deo Gloria.